Daniel's Letter
by lynnmichelle
Summary: Daniel's thoughts surrounding the July London bombings and terrorism on Earth. ONESHOT not meant to offend anyone. Not my usual shippy stuff but it was something I had to write in NY that day.


Daniel's Letter

Disclaimer – They are not mine and never will be. However this story is mine.

A/N - I began this story on the day of the first London bombings in July and finished it after the bombings in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. I do not wish in any way to offend anyone in what I have written here and hope that no one is offended. I live in NY and my husband was at the WTC on 9/11 escaping and leaving Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. My Mother's family lives in London. My husband and I spent our 5th wedding Anniversary in Sharm El Sheik. And I was raised in Ireland. That being said this was just something I needed to write.

* * *

Daniel returned from the mission on PX3-255 tired and grumpy. He mood quickly became seriously pissed when he was promptly informed by General O'Neill that he was needed in New York as soon as possible. He had been summoned to meet with a number of diplomats from Countries who were aware of the existence of the Stargate Program – the Russians, British, French and Chinese. O'Neill apologized for the late notice but they had insisted that they needed to speak with Daniel in person for an update on the on-going negotiations between Earth and the newly formed Free Jaffa Nation. Jack couldn't understand why they couldn't come to Cheyenne Mountain but Daniel realized that once in a while they had to be seen to be making accommodations in the interest of diplomatic relations. 

As such, he would fly that night to meet with the diplomats at the United Nations building in Manhattan. He hoped that he would get lucky and that early July in the Big Apple would be kind to him – not too much heat and very little humidity. He had learned to cope with the dry heat of Abydos but he still hated the humidity that could be found right here at home.

Daniel's flight was uneventful and he went to bed at his midtown hotel thinking only of sleep and not his 9am meeting in the morning. He woke to the shrill sound of the telephone ringing next to the bed and sat bolt up-right trying to remember where he was. Within a split second he remembered and then wondered who was calling so early. It was 5am according to the brightly lit radio alarm clock and he definitely did not order a wake up call for that early.

Daniel picked up the handset and muttered a gravely hello. He was quickly informed, by someone who identified themselves as the aid to the British representative, that due to the events of that day in London his meeting would need to be reschedules until later in the day to allow the British delegation to touch base with their families and colleagues. They needed to ensure that everyone was safe. He would be called on his cell phone and need not stay at the hotel. Thoroughly confused, Daniel asked the woman on the other end of the line what she was talking about and he received a soft spoken reply – "Turn on your television Dr. Jackson".

Daniel quickly hung up the phone and searched frantically for the remote control he needed to switch on the TV. He finally found it amidst the rumpled covers of his bed, pressed the green button and the set came to life.

It was on NY Channel 21, on of the local Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) that he had been watching a documentary on the night before. He immediately saw by the logo on the bottom of the screen that they were broadcasting a live feed from BBC World News but he couldn't understand the images he was witnessing. He could see a red London bus and hear a reporter talking but couldn't comprehend what he was seeing or hearing. He finally had to read the captions scrolling across the bottom of the screen to realize that a terrorist attack had taken place in Central London. As he read on, he learned that multiple attacks had taken place on the underground system and a London bus, and at this time information was coming in. Understandably there was a great deal of confusion over events and casualties.

Daniel turned and in a very uncharacteristic act he slammed his fist into the nearest wall while yelling out a pained "Why?".

Luckily for Daniel, it was a thinner sheet-rock wall and he did more damage to the wall than his hand. It did however sufficiently push him into action and he quickly dressed in a lightweight cotton shirt and khakis. He grabbed his cell phone, room key and jacket and left the room closing the door quietly behind him.

Even though New York City is known as the city that never sleeps, it does slow down at some points and at 5:30am when Daniel was walking out of his hotel into the city streets they were relatively quiet. He walked to the end of the block where a street vendor was waiting patiently with his coffee cart for the morning rush to begin. Daniel ordered a large black coffee and sipped it, breathing in its rich aroma. The air wasn't too warm yet and he appreciated the heat of the drink burning against his throat. He looked around to get his bearings and hastily decided that he needed to get away from the tall buildings that were closing in around him.

He headed east towards the river knowing that the water would calm him. As he walked the images from the television returned to his mind and he flinched in response. He quickly reached the river and without thinking found the footpath and started his journey downtown. He had always liked bridges and New York had many over this particular river. However he hardly noticed them as he lost himself in his thoughts. He passed the Williamsburg Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge and only stopped when he came to the pedestrian entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. He was always struck by the history behind the 13 year construction of this bridge which had been built by off the boat immigrants, 35 of whom lost their lives. Daniel smiled as the image of P.T. Barnum demonstrating the safety of the bridge by parading across it with a herd of 21 elephants popped into his mind and began his walk to Brooklyn.

He could see the NY Water Taxi's taking the Wall Street early birds across the river. Looking further into the harbor he spotted Lady Liberty holding her torch high , welcoming one and all to the city. _"__Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; send these, the homeless tempest-tossed, to me; I lift my lamp beside the golden door."_

Within 15 minutes he was in Brooklyn Heights, a neighborhood he used to visit during his college days. He kept walking relentlessly being drawn in one direction. Ten minutes later he arrived at his destination, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a promenade about ¼ of a mile long with old wooden benches placed at even distances along the path. At night Daniel knew it was lit by the flicker from the turn of the century gas lamps and the lights of the Manhattan skyline across the river.

He noted that there were about half a dozen people sitting on benches predominantly reading the newspaper, some New York Times and some Wall Street Journals, sipping some variation of coffee. He sub-consciously chose a bench away from anyone else and sat heavily, matching the weight of his heart. He looked up and stared at the skyline facing him looking at, but not seeing the skyscrapers in front of him.

As his eyes focused his brain told his eyes that something wasn't quite right. What he was looking at didn't match up with the image that his brain remembered from his youth. Shaking the feeling off, Daniel looked away and something caught his eye. A large framed photograph had been attached to the iron railings of the promenade and faded, dried out flowers appeared to have been strategically placed next to it. Focusing on the photograph itself, Daniel's breath caught in his throat as his brain registered what was a rye earlier.

The black and white picture was of the Manhattan skyline which included at its center the World Trade Center towers. Daniel looked up knowing that the twin towers would no longer grace his view.

The memories of September 11, 2001 came rushing into his mind. The crashes, the fire, the panic, the destruction. The death.

Then other recent events flooded back – Madrid, Egypt, Bali, Israel, Moscow, Iraq. For the thousandth time Daniel pondered man's inhumanity to man and couldn't help but wonder if the people who caused this terror would feel the same hatred if they knew that they were only a tiny part of a huge universe. His intense anger turned to sadness and he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small writing pad and a pen. With a heavy sigh, Daniel began to write.

_July 7, 2005_

_To terrorists of the planet Earth_

_Why do you do what you do? To instill fear into innocent people around the world? To kill and maim men, women and children who have no fight with you? Who are not part of your war?_

_Does it make you happy to know that school children fear taking an underground or subway train to school this day? That mothers in office buildings, or their commute home, worry that they will never see their babies again and whisper a silent prayer of love across the air to them in case you have decided that today is the day that you take them away?_

_You say that you carry out your barbaric acts of death and destruction in the name of your God. If only you knew what other atrocities were performed around the universe in the name of "God". Let me enlighten you._

_Many races of aliens exist in our galaxy. One race called the Goauld, are a race of foul creatures that look like deformed snakes. In order for them to gain power, over thousands of years they systematically kidnapped humans from Earth and moved them in great space ships to other planets. There they enslaved them and they have remained slaves ever since. The Goauld's keep them in line using terror, violence and the liberal use of technology they had stolen over millennia from other planets. They use this technology to perform amazing acts, appearing and disappearing, throwing people across a room by simply raising a hand, acts of "God"._

_For thousands of years, they have implanted themselves in human 'hosts' in order to perpetrate their crimes as a "God". And for thousands of years, humans, people who originated from this Earth have fought together as one "human race" to try to defeat those who would enslave them. No matter what the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the God that they worship, they recognize the other as their brother and sister. They do not put fear into each other. They do not maim each other. They do not kill each other._

_But here on Earth you do. You kill your brother and your sister. You kill their Mothers and Fathers. You kill their children. You terrorize. You cripple. You murder._

_I wish you knew of the true enemy. The Goauld, the Ori, those aliens unknown to us at this time just waiting for the right time. Those who would wish to take over the Earth and enslave us all. Maybe then you would realize that we are all the same – human beings simply looking for love and happiness for ourselves, our families and friends. You are just looking in the wrong place._

_Yours sincerely_

_Daniel Jackson_

Daniel held the letter in a tight grip while staring at the space where the Towers used to stand. He was jolted by the sound of his cell phone ringing. He flipped it open and held it to his ear. He was quickly told that his meeting with the diplomats would begin in thirty minutes. He closed the phone and with one last look over at the Statue of Liberty he rose and began to walk towards the road.

He stopped by a man who was lighting a cigarette and asked for a match. Daniel lit it and held it to the letter. He held the paper until he felt the flames on the tips of his fingers, dropped it and watched until only ashes remained. The symbolism wasn't lost on him as Daniel's hopes for peace on Earth went up in flames.

He hailed a passing yellow cab, got in and simply stated "United Nations, please".

The End.


End file.
